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I think Seiko has always been a WIS brand.. in Japan. It’s just that they used to keep the best for the domestic market only.
They are also a company (a bit like Jamo speakers) that make very high quality models through to mid range and even low range. In Europe/US this might not be a great marketing strategy for top end kit - which is probably why Grand Seiko has been spun off as a separate entity.
If you read around it, since 1910 the Seiko story has been on par with any Swiss watchmaker, peaking in the ‘68 Winter Olympics with the first LCD screen and portable computer. The mechanical/electric/magnetic combination in a spring drive is pretty incredible. I wonder how many people who dismiss it as a quartz watch realise that the quartz is only used as an oscillator in a negative feedback loop to generate a braking effect on the wheel via an electro magnetic force?
The purely mechanical range Grand Seiko HiBeat is pretty impressive too. Ticks at 36,000 bph and barely looses a second a day on the wrist.
The finish and detailing have to be seen first hand, especially in low lighting. The Zaratsu polishing and attention to light and shade really don’t across on the photos.
At the moment a Grand Seiko is a Patek Phillipe grade watch being sold at Omega prices. Superior to most Swiss watches in all but two areas - marketing and liquidity. This may change over time as more people find out about them.
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